A membrane contactor may be used for many purposes, including but not limited to, removing entrained gases from liquids, debubbling liquids, filtering liquids, and adding a gas to a liquid. Membrane contactors are known to be used in many different applications, for example, a membrane contactor may be used in removing entrained gases from inks used in printing. Current designs of membrane contactors are effective for some applications, but do not allow for a contained liquid membrane that is capable of being commercially produced.
Stable liquid membranes have long been the subject of interest to membrane developers because of its proven capacity for very high selectivity in facilitated transport configuration. However, creating a stable liquid membrane has always been an elusive target. The concept of a contained liquid membrane contactor was proposed several years ago to circumvent the stability problem, but making membrane devices with known and repeatable contained liquid membrane effective thickness has proved to be too difficult. Liquid membranes can become more effective if the stability for the membrane could be ensured over a long period of time.
A contained liquid membrane contactor would allow for a stable contained liquid membrane over a significant period of time. Accordingly, there is a need for a contained liquid membrane contactor and a method of its manufacture that allows for commercial production. The device concept presented here allows for the fabrication of stable contained liquid membranes with low production cost.